Facing the challenge of the global biodiversity crisis, jointly promote the achievement of the "Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework". The new blueprint for global biodiversity governance in the next ten years or even longer is the concern of this conference.
Following the successful holding of the first phase of the meeting in Kunming, China in October 2021, the second phase of COP15 will continue with the theme of "Ecological Civilization: Building a Community of Life on Earth". Aiming at developing and adopting the "Framework", will be the most important expected outcome of the second phase of the meeting.
The "Framework" is an overall and strategic framework document that anchors the direction of global biodiversity governance by 2030 and beyond. It is of great significance to global biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
According to UN Secretary-General Guterres, it is estimated that by 2030, the degradation of global ecosystems will cause losses of US$3 trillion per year. "Developed countries must provide bold financial support to countries in the global South. We cannot expect developing countries to shoulder this burden alone."
"There is no other Earth." Elizabeth Murema, Executive Secretary of the Convention Secretariat, said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency that the "Framework" aims to reverse the current trend of biodiversity loss and ensure that biodiversity will be restored by 2030 at the latest. Humanity embarks on the road to recovery, and then fully realizes the 2050 vision of "harmonious co-existence between man and nature".
Five key factors
Analysts pointed out that in order to make real progress in the second phase of the COP15 meeting, the "framework" needs to be ambitious and operable. Murema said all parties need to focus on five key direct drivers of nature loss: changing ocean and land use, overexploitation of organisms, climate change, pollution, and invasive alien species.
It is imperative to solve these problems. Among them, land fragmentation and land-use changes caused by agriculture and urban expansion have caused the loss of 80% of biodiversity in many areas. In addition, all parties need to address the root causes of these problems, such as unsustainable consumption and production.
Meeting focus
First, the main challenges and execution capabilities of the parties differ. Due to the large differences in the economic and social development levels of the 196 parties, the main challenges and implementation capabilities of biodiversity governance are different, and there are disputes on key issues such as resource mobilization and benefit sharing.
Second, is the funding issue.
The previous COP10 meeting formulated the 2011-2020 global biodiversity conservation goals, namely the "Aichi Targets". There are 20 "Aichi Targets", none of which will be fully achieved by 2020, and only 6 targets will be partially achieved. Developing countries generally believe that the main reason why the "Aichi Targets" have not been achieved is the lack of funds and technology.
Third, access to genetic resources and benefit-sharing. Many developing countries believe that a large number of genetic resources have been seized by developed countries, but the resulting benefits have not been shared with the former. In the face of different opinions, all parties need to find a solution to regulate the use of digital sequence information (DSI) of genetic resources.
"In the next two weeks, 196 parties will not only start negotiations but also have the obligation to pass the 'framework'," Murema said that the parties need to focus on the ultimate goal, that is, an ambitious, achievable, and operational framework must be adopted.
The job now for all parties is to focus on the goals, refine the text, and find compromises that will take us on a journey to a future in harmony with nature.
